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Discover Science Center’s SciTech Summer Program is an opportunity for motivated middle school students interested in science and technology to take part in higher-level, hands-on STEM experiences and training.

Why should my child participate?Students in the SciTech Program will:

have unique science education and training experiences,

learn practical applications of scientific principles,

explore career paths they never knew existed,

expand their knowledge about scientific concepts,

practice innovative laboratory techniques, and

use their critical thinking skills with discussions of ethics in research.

Plus, it is going to be FUN!​

Who develops curricula and teaches our programs?For the 2018 SciTech Summer Program, the following scientists are contributing to the development and leading of our courses:

What topics are covered in the program?For the 2018 SciTech Summer Program, the following courses are being offered:

​​​SPACE TECHNOLOGY - May 29-June 1 (4-day course)8:30am-4:30pmThis week, we study the physics and biology of space exploration. Students study the physics and logistics of launching spacecraft into orbit, design and build a CubeSat model, explore drone technology, and investigate the effects of space on living organisms. $320REGISTER

FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY - June 11-158:30am-4:30pmLiving organisms can provide additional evidence in a forensic investigation. Students use insect identification and development, as well as microbiology techniques and other biological methods to develop hypotheses related to solving crimes. $400REGISTEREXPERIMENTAL CHEMISTRY LAB - June 25-298:30am-4:30pmDuring Experimental Chemistry Lab, students spend hours learning the science of chemical reactions, investigating the periodic table, conducting laboratory experiments, exploring acid and base reactions, experimenting with polymers and more. $400REGISTER

CRASH COURSE IN CODING - July 2-3 (2-day course)8:30am-4:30pmIn this 2-day intensive course, students practice keyboarding skills, learn basic coding commands, understand the importance of syntax in making the program properly execute, and learn to alter the code to create their own custom program. We also work on offline activities to understand computational thinking. This is not a drag and drop coding course, and is designed for students with very little to no programming command experience. Students must bring a laptop or tablet (tablets must have a physical keyboard). $160REGISTER

VERTEBRATE ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY - July 9-138:30am-4:30pmStudents learn the anatomy and physiology (body parts and their function) of different vertebrate organisms, including basic anatomical terms, organ and organ system function, and safety and dissection procedures as they dissect (if they wish) mammalian organs (sheep brain, pig kidney) and preserved frogs. $400REGISTER

DNA AND GENETIC TECHNOLOGY - July 23-278:30am-4:30pmThis week, students study the basics of the genetic code, learn techniques for extracting, amplifying and sequencing DNA, and use bioinformatics tools to analyze DNA sequences and genetic variation. $400REGISTER

EXPERIMENTS IN PHYSICS - July 30-August 38:30am-4:30pmTo study force and motion in real-world situation, students design and conduct hands-on experiments, collect data and graph their results to analyze and understand concepts such as laws of motion with changes to mass, speed, force, and conservation of energy. Experiments involving hydrophobicity, conductive materials and biophysics will be included. ​$400REGISTER​​​